Terminal insertion guiding apparatus

Abstract

A terminal insertion guiding apparatus includes an optical fiber sensor adapted to transmit light through a terminal cavity of the housing of a connector, thereby indicating to the operator a cavity into which a wire-crimped terminal is to be inserted. The apparatus is provided with a drive mechanism which drives the optical fiber to move back-and-forth in directions X and Y so as to position the optical fiber sensor correctly below a specified cavity. The drive mechanism is controlled by signals from a controller, which signals are indicative of positions of the optical fiber sensor. A pair of first guide rails extend in parallel in direction Y. A slider carries the optical fiber thereon and moves along the first guide rails. The slider is driven by a first belt arrayed between two pulleys to move along the first guide rails. A block carries the first guide rails, slider, first belt and pulleys thereon, and is movably supported on a spline shaft extending transversely of the first guide rails and a second guide rail which is parallel to the spline shaft. The block is driven by a second belt to move along the spline shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for guiding the insertion of a terminal into a terminal cavity of a housing of a connector-receiving plate, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of walls forming a case;   one of said walls containing an opening;   means on said case operative to attach said connector-receiving plate in overlying relation with respect to said opening;   an optical fiber sensor disposed within said case and mounted for movement in spaced underlying relation with respect to said housing;   a drive mechanism within said case operative to reversibly drive said optical fiber sensor along first and second orthogonal directions to position said sensor in alignment with selected cavities in said housing for illuminating the interior thereof; and   a controller for controlling said drive mechanism to selectively position said optical fiber sensor.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism includes: at least one first guide rail extending in the second direction;   a slider carrying said optical fiber sensor thereon, said slider being movable along said first guide rail;   a first drive means for reversibly driving said slider to move along the first guide rail;   a spline shaft extending in the first direction;   a second guide rail extending in parallel with said spline shaft;   a block for carrying said first guide rail, said slider, and said first drive means thereon, said block being supported on said spline shaft and second guide rail and being movable along said spline shaft; and   a second drive means for reversibly driving said block to move along said spline shaft.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first drive means is a first belt arrayed between two pulleys aligned in the second direction, said first belt being fixed to said slider to drive said slider back and forth in the second direction when the pulleys are driven by a first external drive source, and said second drive means is a second belt fixed to said block to move said block along said spline shaft when the second belt is driven by a second external drive source. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said connector-receiving plate contains a plurality of pin-receiving holes (32); and a plurality of positioning pins equally spaced and aligned along the periphery of said opening, said positioning pins being operative to engage the pin-engaging holes in said connector-receiving plate for attaching said connector-receiving plate to said case.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said connector-receiving plate is provided with a connector-receiving hole formed therein, said connector-receiving hole being configured to a front projected contour of said housing;   a plurality of columns depending from said plate about the periphery of said connector-receiving hole, each of said columns having a connector-seat at a distal end thereof for receiving said housing when said housing is inserted into said connector-receiving hole and   an urging means for urging said housing to firmly hold said housing when said housing is inserted into said connector receiving hole.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said urging means is a leaf spring which presses said housing to firmly hold said housing. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said pin-engaging holes are formed at intervals equal to a multiple of the spacing between adjacent positioning pins. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said controller includes means for moving said optical fiber sensor to a subsequent housing cavity in the operation sequence when light passed to a terminal-receiving cavity is obstructed by insertion of said terminal into said terminal-receiving cavity.